Ukraine’s president reveals Western partners, including the U.S., are requesting expertise on countering Iranian Shahed drones.
Ukraine Offers Drone Expertise
Volodymyr Zelensky revealed in his evening address that Ukraine’s partners are requesting help in defending against Iranian Shahed drones, specifically asking for expert knowledge and operational experience. The Ukrainian leader mentioned that there were also requests coming from the American side.
Ukraine has offered to share its capabilities and knowledge with Middle Eastern countries, particularly regarding their successful 90% effectiveness in neutralizing Iranian Shahed drones using domestically produced interceptor drones.
Conditional Drone Sharing
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybih indicated that Kyiv could send drone specialists to the Middle East to help shoot down Iranian Shaheds, but only if its partners assist in achieving a ceasefire with Russia. Zelensky separately proposed providing interceptor drones in exchange for Patriot system missiles.
Trilateral Talks Delayed
Zelensky confirmed that trilateral talks between Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia will continue as soon as security conditions allow. The talks, originally scheduled for March 5-6 in Abu Dhabi, have been delayed due to the situation surrounding Iran, with no signals yet that the meeting can be organized.
Shahed Drones Pose Greater Threat
According to CNN, U.S. administration officials now acknowledge that Iranian Shahed drones pose a greater threat than previously believed. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Ceine confirmed that these unmanned aircraft present a significant challenge that U.S. air defense cannot fully counter.
The drones’ slow, low-altitude flight patterns make them more difficult to intercept compared to ballistic missiles, despite some officials initially attempting to downplay concerns about the threat.